Transporting devices for invalids for use in bathtubs and like receptacles



De@ 5 1955 J. KELLER TRANSPORTING DEVICES FOR INVALIDS FOR USE INBATHTUBS AND LIKE RECEPTACLES Filed July 1e, 1952 IN V EN TOR. JIA/Y7122445? BY United States Patent O TRNSPOR-TENG' DEVICES FOR. ALIDS FORUSE IN BATHTUBS AND LIKE- RECEPTACLES Jean Keller, Oberl'eimbach,Switzerland; Lina Keller-Eme, Hans Keller-Benz, and ll'ildeg'ardyHauscr-Kcller, heirs of said `Te'a'n Keller, deceased This' inventionrelates to' transporting devic'es for in- Valids for use' in bathtubs`and like receptacles.

Physically disabled', e. g'.`t`otally' or`partially' paralyzedpatients", are frequently unable to get into a bathtub and out again'unaided, but m'u'st be lifted into and out of the tub by attendants.'This work is extremely strenuous for said attendants, and' requiresgreat effort and strength. Moreover', such work is lnot without danger,for accidents may easily be caused by patients slipping. To lift apatient into and to take him out of the bathtub is also generally moreor less painful for the patient.

It is, therefore, one of the objects ofthe present invention toprovidemeans' considerably facilitating the moving of theA patient into"and out of a bathtub or like receptacle and rendering such movementspainless for the patient.

It is another object of the invention to provide means ensuring safeoperation of a transporting device for the patient to thereby place himinto a bathtub at any desired height therein.

The present invention further contemplates a bathing device forphysically disabled persons, wherein portable lifting means isremovablyinstalled in a bathtub, said lifting. means comprising a base resting onthe bottom of the bathtub, a seat' associated with said base formovement in vertical direction into and out of. said` bathtub,

guiding or bracing means for said lifting means, and

means automatically controlling` said lifting means.-

It is a further object ofthe present invention tol providel meansconducive to a simple construction for lowering av patient into abathtuband for lifting. him out of the same, whereby water supplied throughthefaucet of the bathtube is employed to bring about movement of thetrans-v porting device relative to the rim of the bathtub.

Still another object of the present invention. is the provision of meansrendering possible to combine a jack or lifting device with a bathtuband for removal of said device from the latter.

The above and other'obj'ect's and features will become apparent from thefollowing detailed description, reference being had to the accompanyingdrawing in which:

Fig. 1 isa vert-icaland longitudinal section of a bathtub with abathing' device-madeaccording to the invention;

Fig..2vis asectiontaken along line 2 2 of Fig'. l;

Fig. 3- is a sect-ionta-kenalong line 3-3 of Fig. 2 drawn to anenlarged"y scale;

Fig. 4 is a section of the inlet nozzle (on an enlarged scale) of thelifting device together with automatically controlled outlet means.

The bathtub, as illustrated, may be readily changed to a bathtub withbathing device for physically diabled persons, which comprises a base 1whose edge is covered with a rubber binding 2. This base 1 supportsthree U- shaped guide rails attached along the sides of an equilateraltriangle, each rail forming guide means for the two free lower ends of ascissors linkage 4, of the type known as lazy tongs.

Through each of these free lower ends of the lazy ICC 2. tongs 4; aibelt' 6 projecting withits two endsthroufgh the respective rail extendsparallel to the pivots of said linkage and slides in slot' 7A providedin opposite' sides'A of the U shaped guide rails In the center of.leachl of the U shaped guide rails ff aI cut-out 8I is prov-ided whichlupon' collapse' of the lazy tongs 4 will receive its' lower'rnost'center pivot 9 therein, s'o that thev lazy tongs may callapse ascompactly as possible.

The free upper ends of* the three lazy tongs 4'a1regui'dA` ed in exactlythe sanremanner by three similar Ulshaped guide rails 3" attached: tothe under-face ofv a seat' 11 providedj with a suitable coveringI0'qfrubb'er',-canvas=or the like. Tov the base by means of washers 12andl screw bolts 1'3, the lower end ofa bellows 14^ of7 rubber o'r like*materia-l is'tightly attached?, which bellows surrounds they guide rails3 andv 3- and the4 three' la'z'y't'ongs 4, the upper end of whichbellows is tightly attached in' exactly the' same way by; means: ofwashers 12""andscrew bolts 13 tothe under-face' of the seat 11'.

The pleats of the bellows '14* are providedl with suitableA annularelements 1:5`ftofpreventbuckling of theAV pleats orf folds. The central'pivots 9' of"A the lazy tongs' 4- ar'e' c'on-` nected to rods 16- whieh1aredireeted toward the periphery of said bellows. Cennecting' said threerods 1:6 at the respective level is a ring member' 1*'71 which isconcave on the outer surface to receive therein aV respective foldflofYthe bellows Y14, said fol-id being' retained on said ring` member 17' bymeans ofj annular element 15` extendingv on the outside ofsad fol-d I4;

The ba's'e I is provided withk af central inlet opening I8' to whicha-Branch pipe 1t?" of' a- T-shaped tujbeis connected; one end of the"latter being provided with' threads for' connecting a h'ose 19' thereto,the' other end being' thread"V edly connected to a valve'hlo'ck it?through' flange piece I-8`-". In* a sleeve bearing 21 of said block v20there slides a valve stern 22 carrying at one end thereof a valve p late24 with rubberA or leather gasket' Afor operating (closing or opening)the passageway o'f said flange' piece' I8.

The other end of valve stem 22 is threadedly connected with a' sleeve 25whichl is' sl'dable one end in a' bearing recess 26 provided in the englcover of the valve'blo'ckf Z0. The sleeve 25 is= sutr'ou'ntl" edt by acompression spring` 27 which forces said(l sleeve 2:3' toward' valveplate 24 t' thereby press the latter against the' passageway of theflange' piece l8r. 'The sleeve 25l is' further provided with a llexiblecontrol member or pull string 2i8 passing through' an1openin'g1inthecove'rof the"4 block A The block 20: is further provided with outletslot's or' perforations In its front portion, the base `1 has two'threaded holes through eac'h o'f` which' extends' a bolt with' a' wingscrew 30; engaging the respective lower end of a rubber support or footresting inthe bathtub 32'.

personsis placed insaid bathtub so that' the' r'ea'r edge of the base-Iwith rubber' binding 2 engages' the' upwardly extending curvature ofthebott'om' of the'tub at the head' end, andthe rubber feet 3"1' areraised' by1 means' of wing' screws' 3'01 so that the base 1') extends'in horizontal' direction. The water hosex 19 is' then' connectedtoth'e'vfaucet' 3a of awater supply line;y K

Upon opening the faucet water is' 'admitted thrdugli inlet 18 by meansof branch piece 18 of the T-tube whereby water llls up the interior ofthe bellows 14. The seat 11 is thereby raised at least approximately tothe level of the upper rim of the bathtub 32. When the bathtub has beenfilled to predetermined level the patient will sit down on the seat 11and the faucet or tap 33 is closed.

By operating the pull 28, the valve plate 24 is shifted and moved of theopening of branch or flange piece 18 of the Ttube. Owing to the load onthe seat .11, the

water in the bellows 14 is now forced out through the opened valve andthe outlet openings 29 into the bathtub. During this occurrence the seat11 occupied by the patientv sinks gradually to just above the bottom ofthe bathtub 32. Y

When the bather is to be liftedfand removed from the bathtub 32,.thepull 28 is released so that the compression spring 27 acts to close thevalve 24 again, and the faucet 33 to which the hose 19 is connected isopened. The bellows 14 is refilled with water and the seat 11 occupiedby the bather is again raised to at least approxiniately the upper rimof the bathtub, so that he can readily be liftedl away from the bathtub.

The cross-sectional area of the bellows 14 is so chosen that thepressure commonly prevailing in an ordinary water-supply line issuicient to lift the seat 11 under the weight of the bather. The threelazy tongs do not serve as lifting means, but will solely guide andbrace the seat 11. Instead of three lazy tongs 4, two or four of thesame could be provided. The valve acting atthe opening of flange piece18" of the T-tube includes the valve plate 24 with gasket 23, the valvestem 22, the sleeve 25 and the compression spring 27 and acts as asafety valve which opens automatically if the pressure in the bellows 14should become too great or excessive.

y The base 1, the seat 11, the guide rails 3 and the lazy tongs 4consist of corrosion-proof materials, preferably light metal. The seat11 may be provided with a removable backrest 34, if desired.

It is well understood that instead of the bathing or lifting deviceherein referred to any suitable, preferably hydraulically or fluidoperated jack or similar devices may be used to bring about movement ofthe effective surface of the latter relative to the rim of the bathtub,which may be readily and preferably operated from a water supply throughthe faucet of the tub and which may be easily and readily combined withordinary bathtubs now in use and for ready removal of'said device fromthe latter.

It is, of course, understood that the jack or lifting device may beprovided with a reclining surface rather than with a seat so that thepatient may be transported into the bathtub in a reclining positioninstead of a sitting position. Y

While a preferred embodiment of the invention has been shown and hereindescribed, it will be understood that the same is capable ofmodifications without departure from the general scope and spirit of theinvention as defined in the claims.

Having thus described the invention, what is claimed as new and desiredto be secured by Letters Patent, is:

l. In combination, lifting means provided with a base for Contact withthe bottom of a bathtub and for removal therefrom, said lifting meansincluding a seat and a bellows, pipe means extending from said bellowsfor connection with a water supply source, and vertically andhorizontally extending bracing means, respectively, and positionedwithin said bellows, said vertically extending bracing means operativelyconnecting said seat with said base, said horizontally extending bracingmeans operatively connecting said vertically extending bracing meanswith said bellows, whereby tipping and tilting of said seat relative tosaid base is prevented, when said seat is in lifted position withrespect to said base,

2. In combination, lifting means provided with a base for contact withthe bottom of a bathtub and for removal therefrom, said lifting meansincluding a seat and a bellows, pipe means extending from said bellowsfor connection with a water supply source, valve means connected to saidpipe means for selectively permitting passage of water through said pipemeans, substantially vertically extending lazy tong means operativelyconnecting said base with said seat within said bellows, andsubstantially horizontally extending bracing means in contact with saidbellows and including rods connected with said lazy tong means.

3. Lifting means according to claim 2, said horizontally extendingbracing means being ring means within said bellows and operativelyconnected with said rods, which extend radially from said ring means.

4. Lifting means comprising, in combination, a base for contact with thebottom of a bathtub and for removal therefrom, a seat, a bellowsinterconnecting said seat with said base, pipe means extending from saidbellows for connection with a supply source to operate said bellows, aplurality of vertically extending lazy tong means disposed within saidbellows and between said seat and said base, a plurality of rodsextending within said bellows in radial direction to the latter andoperatively connected with said lazy tong means, respectively, andhorizontally extending ring means within said bellows and irl Contacttherewith, said rods operatively engaging said ring means, whereby uponraising said seat said lazy tong means are extended and carry said rodsand said ring means for bracing said bellows against tipping andtilting.

5. Lifting means in accordance with claim 4, including horizontallyextending annular means disposed exteriorly of said bellows and incontact therewith, said ring means and said annular means conforming incontour to each other, to thereby prevent displacement of said ringmeans relative to said bellows. y

6. In combination, a bathtub, portable bellows lifting means for restingon the bottom of said bathtub and for removal therefrom, a seatoperatively connected with said lifting means for holding a user, meansconnected to said lifting means to level said seat, pipe meansconnecting f2. said lifting means with a fluid supply source, valvemeans for regulating the fluid supply to said lifting means, controlmeans for said valve means and disposed in said bathtub for manipulationby said user, to thereby permit I said user to discharge fluid from saidlifting means for lowering said seat, and bracing means within the innerspace of said bellows lifting means and stabilizing thc latter againstmovement inV longitudinal and transverse direction upon lifting saidseat.

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS GrierSept. 16, 1952

